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Topic: As the Photographers--What will we do? (Read 6600 times)

Dear Friends.As the Photographers, What will we do, when we see the bad News / Bad Actions in front of us---Shoot the Photos first and Help them , or Forget about Photos and Help Them---Or do Both As Nick UT. Did ??Thank you, for your Comments and IDEAS of your reactions.Surapon

The general reaction of normal human beings is to help out first ... I don't think people think about taking photos when we can help (maybe with the exception of some sick/creepy journalists) ... but that being said if there was an aircraft crash, we wold most likely record it, coz we know we cannot do anything about it. But if we see a person hit by a car lying on the road we would call for an ambulance and stand-by till the ambulance comes (this happened to me a couple of years ago when a Qatar Airways staff was hit by a car - I called the ambulance and waited till the ambulance came - unfortunately she passed away). But there are situations when capturing the event is more important than trying to help out ... the wisdom to know when to help out and when to step back and capture the event, is what makes a great human being ... but I'm just an ordinary human being, my first reaction would be to help out if I can.

I think it is also important to understand your role going into the situation. If you are a "professional photographer" on assignment, you will have a well defined mission with rules of engagement. If you are not given an assignment, or are not paid, you have a different role. Even still, we are all humans first, and we must all act within our own set of values. If our values are crystal clear to begin with, the decision may be hard, but what the right thing to to will be obvious, as our values do not change- just the situation.

Wow, Wow, Wow-----THANK you Sir/ Madam for your IDEAS/ Logics and your Thinking in that Mili-Seconds of that Moment and Acts as very difference situations of the Actions in front of Us.Yes, Sir. We have make decision for the best of our self/ Our Duty and some time Live and Death too.Surapon

Each case is different. A photographer doing war coverage has an important mission as a soldier. Assuming that a soldier has to choose between shoot the enemy (which can kill you) or rescue a victim, he has the duty to shoot the enemy first. If a doctor or nurse is in the same situation in the war (and has a gun) he must first help the victim, and then shoot the enemy that can kill you. Call me insensitive, but a photographer who is on a mission to fulfill its mission in the first place.

I think it is also important to understand your role going into the situation. If you are a "professional photographer" on assignment, you will have a well defined mission with rules of engagement. If you are not given an assignment, or are not paid, you have a different role. Even still, we are all humans first, and we must all act within our own set of values. If our values are crystal clear to begin with, the decision may be hard, but what the right thing to to will be obvious, as our values do not change- just the situation.

Seems to me that this is the best answer. But as someone else said, it's easy to sit here in our living room and imagine what we might do . . . when the chips are down.

I think it is also important to understand your role going into the situation. If you are a "professional photographer" on assignment, you will have a well defined mission with rules of engagement. If you are not given an assignment, or are not paid, you have a different role. Even still, we are all humans first, and we must all act within our own set of values. If our values are crystal clear to begin with, the decision may be hard, but what the right thing to to will be obvious, as our values do not change- just the situation.

Seems to me that this is the best answer. But as someone else said, it's easy to sit here in our living room and imagine what we might do . . . when the chips are down.